Tsunami Preparedness Week through March 28 at UCI

Tsunamis are among Earth’s rarest hazards. But, even though tsunamis do not occur very often, and most are small and nondestructive, they pose a major threat to coastal communities, particularly in the Pacific. A tsunami can strike any ocean coast at any time. There is no season for tsunamis. We cannot predict where, when or how destructive the next tsunami will be. However, while tsunamis cannot be prevented, there are things you can do before, during and after a tsunami that could save your life and the lives of your family and friends. The National Weather Service provides some excellent educational material on tsunamis and what you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe in the event of a tsunami. Visit them at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/Tsunami/

We have a lot of coastline here in Orange County and not that far from our UC Irvine community. So, in the event that our coast was struck by a fairly significant tsunami we would, without a doubt, be impacted here on campus. Many of our community members live or have family/friends who reside in Newport Beach and neighboring jurisdictions. The rest of us probably visit one of these coastal communities from time to time so it is extremely important to heed the warning and immediately move inland or to high ground following an earthquake. Every coastal city in Orange County is “Tsunami Ready,” as designated by NOAA/NWS (http://www.tsunamiready.noaa.gov/) which is why you will see the Tsunami Hazard Zone signs near the beaches (image attached). Do not take this instruction lightly. Tsunamis travel quickly and gain strength with each set of waves so it is no exaggeration to state that “every second counts.”

There have been hundreds of videos uploaded to YouTube with raw footage from the 2004 Sri Lankan Tsunami as well as the 2011 Tsunami that struck Japan after their devastating 9.0 earthquake. While these clips are sad to view, they provide us with a better understanding of the sheer magnitude and force carried by these types of disasters.

We encourage the community to partner with the UC Irvine Police Department to prevent or report crime by calling (949) 824-5223. If you wish to remain Anonymous, call “OC Crime Stoppers” by dialing 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227), text “OCCS” plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or use the website http://occrimestoppers.org/